State Rep. Jamie Spallone Chosen By Secretary Of The State-Elect Denise Merrill As Deputy; Starts January 5

State Rep. James "Jamie'' Spallone was chosen Monday as the new deputy Secretary of the State by Denise Merrill, who takes over next month as Secretary of the State.

Merrill, a Storrs Democrat who serves as the current House majority leader, has been working with Spallone for years as a state legislator.

"Jamie and I have formed a strong partnership over the many years we have worked together to pass numerous laws to strengthen the integrity of our elections and open up our democratic process,'' Merrill said in a statement. "I'm thrilled to be able to continue this partnership, and I no doubt will be relying on Jamie's intellect and experience as we set out to reform our election laws and improve services for the businesses who register with our state.''

First elected in 2000, Spallone has been reelected five times in a district centered in his hometown of Essex. The 36th District also includes Chester, Deep River, and Haddam.

Spallone, a graduate of Williams College and the University of Connecticut law school, is currently serving as the co-chairman of the Government Administration and Elections - which directly oversees issues of interest to the secretary of the state's office.

"I am very happy to be joining our new secretary of the state and honored that she has chosen me to fill this key position in her administration," Spallone said in a statement. "Clearly, the 2010 election showed us that we have more work to do to improve the way our elections are run in Connecticut. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the General Assembly and local election officials throughout the state to reform our election process. As someone who has operated my own law practice and represented small businesses, I also look forward to helping entrepreneurs in Connecticut and working with the Malloy administration to improve the business climate in our state."